Children’s screen time in France – Results of the Novakid 2024 survey

Novakid is the leading online English school for children aged 4 to 12. Their unique learning platform has taught over 18 million lessons to over 500,000 students in 50 countries since 2017.

They bring English to life through fun and engaging online courses with certified native English teachers and native speakers. They offer private and group lessons with a combination of full language immersion, games, and activities designed to engage and educate young learners. The course programme is in line with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Alongside their pioneering online language lessons, Novakid also conduct research and surveys looking at the way family life is shaped by different cultures and technology. Here they reveal the results of a recent survey regarding the time spent by children in France on screen-based activities, from educational studies to entertainment. 

Results of the Novakid 2024 survey on children’s screen time.

23% more children are spending 6 hours per week more on education, versus 2022.

The 2024 survey shows significant changes in young children’s digital habits compared to the same 2022 survey. It highlights both the concerns of parents and the positive effects of online education. More than 2,000 families were surveyed and one of Novakid’s main findings is the increase in edutainment (the educational use of screens), a new form of education, and its growing acceptance by parents.

From entertainment to the educational use of screens in France

While 47% of French parents still say they are concerned about the amount of time their children spend playing non-educational games or surfing the internet, a key finding for France is that the use of screens for entertainment purposes has decreased since 2022, the only country studied in which this figure has decreased. The percentage of children spending more than 6 hours per week watching videos or playing video games increased from 32% in 2022 to 26% in 2024. 

Another key result of the survey is the significant increase in the use of screens for educational purposes among French children. In 2022, only 9% of children spent more than 6 hours per week on educational activities in front of a screen, while in 2024 this figure increased to 32%, an increase of 23%. French families are becoming more open to online learning as a way to improve their children’s academic development. 

Max Azarov, CEO and co-founder of Novakid, commented : “We are committed to providing families with a platform that maximises children’s screen time for learning and development. Our approach is to use games, interactive lessons and conversation lessons to make learning a new language both fun and educational, saving children unnecessary screen time.”

Edutainment: the future of online learning 

The concept of “edutainment” (education and entertainment) is gaining ground in France. When asked if their children’s screen time is educational, 53% of parents agree – 44% of parents agree and 9% strongly agree. France also saw the lowest growth in screen time for social media, with a 12% increase from 6% to 18%, which, after Poland, represents the smallest increase of all the countries studied.

Max Azarov added: “We believe that the future of learning in France will be shaped by entertaining educational content, where children can learn through play, increasing their engagement in lessons taught by teachers.”

French parents recognise the value of online learning over traditional methods

In France, more and more parents are actively encouraging their children to learn online and become familiar with technology from an early age. The 2024 survey conducted by Novakid reveals that 35% of parents believe that online learning allows their children to review documents as often as necessary, which improves their comprehension and helps smooth out difficulties from the start. 28% believe that online education gives them access to a wider variety of educational resources. In addition, 27% believe that interactive learning tools increase their children’s interest in a given topic.

A final comment from French parents on e-learning

When it comes to online learning, 53% of French parents said they would (16%) or probably recommend (37%) online learning to other parents. This is an encouraging sign of the adoption of an online approach to education in a country that often tends to favour tradition.

Read the findings of a similar Novakid survey on children’s screen time in Germany and watch our recent interview with Novakid co-founder and CEO Max Azarov. Find out more about Novakid and their innovative approach to teaching English, and request a free trial here.